Avant-garde and functionality for The Heart in Denmark
Signed by danish agency C.F. Møller, The Heart, located in the town of Ikast-Brande, Denmark, is a fine example of intergenerational building. Promoting dialogue and diversity, the construction, through its clever architecture, tackles new ways of combining education, leisure and community life.
Covering an area of 3,660 m², the project, commissioned by the municipality of the city of Ikast-Brande, Denmark, has been entrusted to the care of C.F. Møller architects. This complex of pavilions, similar to a small town with variable roof heights, houses in one place a gymnasium, school equipment, multipurpose and multifunctional rooms, municipal offices, shops, as well as an exhibition gallery. Built on land adjoining pre-existing educational structures, it develops around a central atrium, from which all the facilities branch out, both horizontally and vertically. Indeed, the space, which fits perfectly with nordic architecture, combines vertical circulation with areas for enjoyment, contemplation or reading, thanks to terraces arranged randomly. Upstairs, the different areas can accommodate lighter relaxation activities. During the work, the designers deliberately adopted a morphological approach close to the superimposition of a house to clearly show that the structure is open and accessible to all. The initial architectural challenge is to create a building that is perceived, above all, as an intergenerational gathering place where seniors, workers, students and children meet and interact.
